Cooling Band

ABSTRACT

A cooling band having a hollow member capable of receiving an ice pack insert for holding a frozen liquid such as water. The cooling band has an ice pack insert with a freezable liquid and the user can freeze the insert for cooling purposes. The cooling band, in a different embodiment, comes with a stopwatch that is fixedly mounted on the band. The cooling band is stretchable, so any size wrist can use the cooling band. The stretchable band allows the user to slide the cooling band over the hand to the wrist. The cooling band is used to cool the user on a hot day by placing the ice pack insert over the veins of the wrist.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a sweatband with an ice pack insert withcooling capacity for hot weather wear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Athletes and outdoor workers face the elements of being outside andparticipating in strenuous activity. During summer months, this can leadto severe dehydration and heat stroke without proper care duringphysical activity. Many athletes and outdoor workers use ice, wetcloths, and cooling packs to keep themselves at comfortable temperaturesduring the heat of the day. Also cooling packs can be used to relievepain and swelling from sports related or chronic muscle and jointinjuries.

There are bracelets on the market that have gel packets so that the usermay freeze the gel and the bracelet is cool for a set amount of time.Gel packets have an inherent problem due to rupture after repeatedfreezing. There are also sweatband type bracelets made of terry clothmaterial that can be moistened and worn. However the sweatband braceletswould dry quickly in excessive heat and would not have the capacity tobe frozen and worn due to the problems of lack of elasticity oncefrozen, creating problems for applying the bracelet to the wrist oncefrozen.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,996 issued to Redwood, et al., on Aug. 21, 2001,shows articles with removable elements. Redwood's invention is unlikethe present invention because it has a removable component for comfortsuch as copper, magnets, blood pressure monitoring systems, foam or gelpacks. Also, the present invention does not have a compartment foradding water and freezing. Additionally, Redwood's invention has manydifferent embodiments and purposes for its removable components and isnot solely for the cooling of the wrist.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,617 issued to McNally, et al., on Nov. 21, 2000shows a tennis elbow band and method. McNally's invention is unlike thepresent invention because it is intended for use on the elbow only, notthe wrist, and it has heating properties for therapy of tennis elbow aswell.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,769, issued to Wolf, et al., on Jan. 14, 1997, for apolyurethane pad covering for gel filled articles. Wolf's invention isunlike the present invention because it is gel filled, it is notintended for wear on the wrist, and it is primarily a system forallowing people to use gel filled articles without the gel contactingtheir skin. Additionally, Wolf's invention does not have a removablewatch face.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,402 issued to McCoy on Nov. 24, 1992, shows atherapeutic wrap. McCoy's invention is unlike the present inventionbecause it is an adjustable hook and loop fabric with a compartment fora hot or cold gel pack, does not have a removable watch face, and doesnot have a compartment to add water and freeze the band for coolingproperties.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,003 issued to Rinehart on Jul. 30, 1991 shows aliquid heat transfer glove. Rinehart's invention is unlike the presentinvention because it is a glove or glove lining used for heating a handand does not provide a sweatband for cooling one's wrist. Rinehart'sinvention also does not have a hollow core for freezing water to cooloneself, nor does it have an armband mechanism.

Therefore a need has been established for a sweatband that has a coolingcapacity, and can have a removable frozen insert for cooling one's wristas well as the added feature of a removable watch face.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a sweatband with cooling capabilities. Thesweatband has an ice pack insert that can be frozen to cool the user'swrist. The sweatband is made of a durable material that has a removableinner ice pack. The present invention also has a removable stopwatch.

The band is made of a durable material that allows the coolness of theinterior ice to escape, yet is thick enough to protect the user's skinfrom possible ice burn. Once frozen the ice pack will keep a cooltemperature for several hours before all of the ice is melted and itshould be refrozen. The cooling band can be manufactured in separatewrist sizes, or in alternate embodiments the band can be manufactured tostretch to fit different wrist sizes. The ice pack insert space, orhollow member, is located on the underside of the band, and expands ⅓the total length of the bracelet. The cooling section, when filled withthe ice pack insert, should be placed on the underside of the wrist,directly below the palm for maximum cooling properties.

The hollow member will allow the water or other liquid to cool the userfor from one to two hours before totally melted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows an environmental view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a cooling band having an insert for an icepack. The ice pack insert can be filled with any freezable liquid suchas water. The present invention is therefore comprised of a cooling band(10), hollow member (20) which holds the ice pack insert (30) on theinterior side of the band (10).

In FIG. 1, there is an environmental view of the cooling band (10). Thecooling band (10) has a hollow member (20) on the interior side of theband (10). Preferably, the hollow member (20) and ice pack insert (30)extend ⅓ the length of the entire band (10). The ice pack insert (30) ispre-filled and sealed before purchase, rectangular in shape, and an inchto an inch and a half wide and four inches in length. Preferably, it ismade of the same material as the cooling band (10) but is a littlethinner and it prevents the ice from creating an ice burn on the user.The ice pack insert (30) can be filled with water and frozen to activatethe cooling properties of the band (10). The ice pack insert (30) holdsthe liquid in the interior of the band (10) during the freezing andthawing of the liquid. It is contemplated that the hollow member (20)can be positioned anywhere on the band (10); the ice pack insert (30)does not have to be pre-filled and sealed before purchase, orself-contained, does not have to have a rectangular shape, and does nothave to be an inch to an inch and a half wide and four inches in length;does not have to be made of the same material as the cooling band (10),and does not have to be a little thinner to prevent ice from creating anice burn on the user. The ice pack insert (30), in another embodiment,could have a plug to open the insert (30) and the user could fill itwith tap water.

In other embodiments of the cooling band (10), the band (10) can beconstructed of any other stretchable material such as spandex,stretchable plastic, etc. Also, the band (10) can be constructed indifferent sizes to fit different wrists. It is lightweight and efficientin nature.

The user can easily fill the hollow member (20) of the cooling band (10)by removing the ice pack insert (30) from the hollow member (20) andfilling it with water from a pitcher, or faucet. The user can then placethe cooling band with the integrated ice pack insert (10) in the freezerand the water or other freezable liquid will freeze in a short amount oftime. In other embodiments the band (10) can be used without the icepack insert (30) as a regular wristband. The band (10) also accommodatesa stopwatch (40) in another embodiment of the present invention.

The cooling band (10) can be used by athletes, outdoor workers, and anyother person who is exposed to extreme heat. The cooling band (10) isplaced over the wrist by the user placing their hand through the band(10). The hollow member (20) when filled with the ice pack insert (30)is placed on the underside of the user's wrist at the base of the palm.In this position the cooling band (10) has maximum coolingpossibilities, due to the close proximity to the veins in the wrist. Auser can also take the cooling band (10) in a cooler or thermos to keepthe band (10) frozen until the heat of the day, usually mid afternoon,and use the band as needed.

The present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments above, butinstead includes any and all of the embodiments in the following claims.

1. A cooling band comprising: a band; an ice pack insert, incommunication with said stretchable band; a hollow member, fixedlyattached to said stretchable band and having the capability to hold saidice pack insert; and said ice pack insert having the capability to befrozen for cooling purposes.
 2. A cooling band as claimed in claim 1,further comprising a timepiece.
 3. A cooling band as in claim 1 whereinsaid ice pack insert is refillable.
 4. A cooling band as in claim 1wherein said ice pack insert is self-contained.
 5. A cooling band asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said band is stretchable.
 6. A cooling bandas claimed in claim 2 wherein said band is stretchable.
 7. A coolingband comprising: a sweatband; a pocket on said sweatband; and an icepack held in said pocket.
 8. The cooling band as claimed in claim 7,further comprising a stopwatch on said sweatband.